Welcome to Richard Leonard's Rail Archive, a collection of rail-related web sites I have been developing since 1998 beginning with the Steam Locomotive Archive. Here you will find not only images of steam and diesel locomotives and other items of historic North American railroad interest, but also plenty of detail and commentary about the items presented. Click on the image or the page title to visit the sites that interest you. For a list of recent additions and updates to this Rail Archive, click here.
My photos, with commentary, of steam locomotives operating in the 1950s. Railroads include the CB&Q, CPR, GTW, IC, NKP, NYC and UP. Also included are a few nonsteam rarities and some historic locomotives featured at the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exhibition.
A collection of New York Central System locomotive photos. Many of the steam photos come from the 1930s, and others I took in the 1950s. The Diesel collection consists of my photos from the 1950s. In the Fantasy Steam collection are pictures of imaginary New York Central steam.
A gallery of miscellaneous steam locomotive photos, most of which were not taken by me. Some came from my father’s small collection of railroad photographs, and others I acquired later. In many cases the photographers and locations are unknown. There is a good representation of CNR and PRR steam power.
Union Pacific Big Boys and Challengers
A gallery of photos of the famous Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boys and 4-6-6-4 Challengers, most of them taken in 1957 in Wyoming and Nebraska. Ten of the Big Boys are shown, and six Challengers including the surviving 3985 in actual service. A few of the 800-series Northerns appear, as well.
GM&O Gallery, Central Illinois in the 1950s
A 1950s-1960s look at the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio’s former Alton Route, featuring main line passenger trains, the Bloomington yard and shops, a motor train ride to Jacksonville, and a cab ride to Chicago in the Abraham Lincoln. There's even a page on Alton Route steam.
Locomotive and industrial images scanned from two booklets distributed by The Pilliod Company of Swanton, Ohio, a sales booklet (around 1915) and a spare parts catalog (around 1926). Motive power shown ranges from switchers through 4-8-2’s and a 2-6-6-2 Mallet compound, plus the famous Erie 2-8-8-8-2 triplex.
Unit Course in Locomotive Firing, 1944
A course in locomotive firing published by the Education Department of the State of New York in 1944. This 152-page manual contains illustrations of steam locomotive appliances, with instructions for operating them.
Modern Power for Today's Trains (1949)
A 24-page booklet produced by the Pennsylvania Railroad around 1949. It features the railroad’s new diesel locomotives, the GG1 and P5a electrics, and its most modern or representative steam types — the T1 and Q2 duplexes, the S2 direct-drive turbine, the J1 2-10-4 and the K4s 4-6-2.
American Locomotive Company Pacifics, 1913
A 20-page bulletin issued in November 1913 by the American Locomotive Company to promote the 4-6-2 or Pacific type. Illustrations and specifications appear for 42 orders of Pacifics from North American railroads.
Chicago & North Western Historical Booklet
A Brief History of the Chicago and North Western Line, a 20-page booklet published by the railroad in 1942. It includes pictures and specifications for the North Western’s steam locomotive fleet at the time, with a few early diesels including the “Overland Route” Streamliners.
Historic Chicago & Illinois Midland Booklet
Images scanned from The Midland Story, a 48-page publicity booklet issued by the Chicago & Illinois Midland Railway around 1950. The booklet features pictures of railroad right of way, stations, facilities, rolling stock and locomotives, and a map.
Chicago Railroad Fair Guide Book and Photos
The Guide Book for the second season of the Chicago Railroad Fair, 1949, plus photos from the 1948 fair by Emma June Bangert and the 1949 fair by Paul F. Thompson. The Guide Book includes the program for the “Wheels-a-Rolling” pageant, a map of the fair grounds on Chicago’s lake front, and illustrations relating to progress in the railroad industry.
Some spare railroad paper items and a few other things I have for sale. Items include employees’ timetables, railroad maps (tubed and folded), magazines, copies of the Official Guide, and miscellaneous booklets, pamphlets and other items.
Richard C. Leonard, Ph.D., Author
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